King Charles and Queen Camilla Honor Assam’s Bibhuti Lahkar with Mark Shand Award

In a grand celebration of conservation and art, King Charles and Queen Camilla graced a glittering charity evening at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, to support the Elephant Family, a wildlife charity founded by Queen Camilla’s late brother, Mark Shand.

Titled "Wonders of the Wild: An Evening of Art and Conservation," the event brought together conservationists, celebrities, and royals for a noble cause: protecting Asia’s wildlife and promoting coexistence between humans and animals.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Mark Shand Award, personally conferred by Queen Camilla on Dr. Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, a renowned conservationist from the Assam-based NGO Aaranyak. Dr. Lahkar was recognized for his lifelong work in Asian elephant conservation, particularly in mitigating human-elephant conflict and preserving biodiversity in regions like Manas National Park.

His colleague, Bibhab Talukdar, expressing pride on social media, wrote, “Congratulations @LahkarBibhuti for this well-deserved recognition conferred yesterday in London. Your dedication, sincerity, humbleness, and zeal are an asset to us at @aaranyak. Glad to have you as my colleague for over three decades.”

The award honours the legacy of Mark Shand, whose Elephant Family, founded in 2002, has become a vital player in Asian elephant conservation. Shand, whose acclaimed book Travels on My Elephant won the 1992 Travel Writer of the Year Award, tragically passed away in 2014. His legacy continues through multiple conservation recognitions, including the Mahout Mark Shand Award established by Assam’s Balipara Foundation.

The event, attended by 250 guests, included royalty and global celebrities such as Princess Beatrice, Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario, actors Ed Westwick and Amy Jackson, and singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Guests entered through Kew’s Temperate Gate, greeted by a peacock-themed stilt walker, and a select few joined a private reception at the Marianne North Gallery.

The gala also served as the grand finale of the Big Egg Hunt, where 123 giant egg sculptures designed by renowned artists were displayed across London landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Royal Albert Hall, to raise funds for the Elephant Family.

King Charles, donning an elephant-themed tie and pin, underscored the evening’s ethos, stating:
“Collaboration is better than conflict in our call to help save the planet.”

Queen Camilla, visibly moved, reiterated her deep personal connection to the cause, rooted in her brother’s passion.

Richard Hawkes, chief executive of Elephant Family, emphasized the evening’s purpose:
“Wonders of the Wild is a celebration of art and nature, which also serves to raise awareness and funds to support our critical conservation work.”

The event spotlighted partnerships with South Asian organizations such as Aaranyak and the Balipara Foundation, both working at the grassroots to safeguard elephants and restore habitats in Assam’s “Elephant Country.”

It also underscored the involvement of the British Asian Trust, which champions innovative development and conservation models across the region.

Through such alliances, the Elephant Family continues to create hope – not just for elephants, but for harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife.

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